Every Night I Dream of the Devil: 5 Quick Questions With Sam Wade
The talented cartoonist talks about her new ShortBox Comics Fair release.
I've got a perfect little treat for you this Friday 13th as my talented pal Sam Wade agreed to answer 5 Quick Questions about her fantastic new comic Every Night I Dream of the Devil. Available exclusively as part of the brilliant ShortBox Comics Fair until October 31st, the gorgeous body horror comic explores the nature of horror, the concept of the devil, and our expectations of what a terrifying genre comic should look like. Wade's unique style and vibrant visual composition make this a must read, and I was extremely happy to get the chance to pose a few fun questions to her about making this delightfully scary digital comic.
What was the origin story of Every Night I Dream of the Devil?
Hard to pinpoint exactly — the title came to me first; I knew I wanted to play with body horror and dreams/nightmares, but I didn’t want ‘dreaming of the devil’ to be as literal as it could be. Or I guess, I wanted to explore what ‘The Devil’ could be.
I adore the limited palette you used to create this story, it’s really unlike what most people think of when they picture horror comics. What inspired the color choices?
Early on in developing my minimalistic comic style I felt that a limited color palette suited it best. I think it’s fun to play with perception — especially in a comic like this — so instead of bright reds I went for a color that is ‘gross’ to me, but less obvious — fleshy peach. I think explaining where the teal color inspiration came from would be a bit of a spoiler.
Every Night I Dream of the Devil is debuting at ShortBox Comics Fair which is a super unique digital comics art fest. What drew you to releasing the coming there?
What Zainab has done for independent comics is unparalleled and extremely important. As soon as I read the comics I got in the fair last year I knew I wanted to be a part of this year’s. It’s such a special thing to be a part of.
Like me, you’re a massive fan of horror. What were some of the stories or films that you revisited or discovered while creating Every Night I Dream of the Devil?
I watched a lot of Satoshi Kon. I love the dreamy way his scenes flow into each other. I rewatched Alien! I also discovered a horror movie (recommended to me by Jamila Rowser) that is far removed thematically from the comic but is amazing: One Cut of the Dead. It’s incredible.
If someone is looking to enjoy a delectable snack or beverage while enjoying this comic, what would you recommend??
A fresh peach.
You can get a copy of Every Night I Dream of Devil until Oct 31 as part of ShortBox Comics Fair.